If you have bi-racial LO, which box applies?

LoCarb

If your LO is bi-racial and this option is not available on various forms under the race question, which box do you check?

I've ran into this recently and checked the box of my race. H confirmed he checks the box of his race for the kids.  To top things off, one DD looks like me, the other like him.  I'm thinking maybe I should be checking the other option.

Just curious, how do you decide?

MissNikki007

Other, I would think.

CoffeeBeen

I would check all boxes that apply or other. 

What's the form for?

Monsieur_et_Madame_Ha

Hmmmm... I had never given this any thought, but I'm sure the situation will arise at some point. I think it will depend what the form is for, but I think I'll either check "other" or DH's.

RockyTopVols

I asked a friend of mine this I work with just now (it is a good question) whose mom is white and dad is black. He said awhile back, you could only check one box- black or white.

However, most forms now allow and recognize when you check multiple boxes for this reason. If you look up the 2010 census data, it gives statistics (according to Wikipedia, the truth of the world) for people who checked both "black" and "white".

 

CoffeeBeen

RockyTopVols:

I asked a friend of mine this I work with just now (it is a good question) whose mom is white and dad is black. He said awhile back, you could only check one box- black or white.

However, most forms now allow and recognize when you check multiple boxes for this reason. If you look up the 2010 census data, it gives statistics (according to Wikipedia, the truth of the world) for people who checked both "black" and "white".

Yeah, my studies usually have a race variable - well, a half dozen race variables because all major races have their own check boxes and there's a place to select other and write something in.  So you can technically check every single major race and then add a few.  Then there's an ethnicity question on top of that one. 

LoCarb

CoffeeBeen:

I would check all boxes that apply or other. 

What's the form for?

The recent form was for an acute pedi dr. Maybe I should have asked the dr the same way ppl ask their vet the breed of their dogs? J/k, of course...I'm not comparing LO's to animals.

Kristen050

I'm half black and half white. If I can check more than one box then I check both. If I can only check one and there is an other option then I choose other. If there isn't an other option I think I usually check black, because I think that's what I look like.  LO is 3/4 white and 1/4 black and I don't think I've run into the issue with him yet but I honestly don't know what I'd choose. 

LoCarb

mbenit4:

In this area "all that apply" is common. I will sometimes do that. I usually leave it blank as most times it is optional. I have done Other.

It also depends on how it is asked. Some forms will have for Ethnicity - Non Hispanic or Hispanic. I will mark Hispanic since I am. Then for Race - I will mark Black since their father is.

 

Ok, this helps a lot and provides clarity.

nikip6454

My DD is 1/4 black 3/4 white, I check other if biracial isn't an option. After reading some of the replies, I may start checking both!

ridesbuttons

Leave it blank?  Unless it is a census form, I cannot imagine why you would need to indicate your race.

Hopin4aBaby

Kristen050:

I'm half black and half white. If I can check more than one box then I check both. If I can only check one and there is an other option then I choose other. If there isn't an other option I think I usually check black, because I think that's what I look like.  LO is 3/4 white and 1/4 black and I don't think I've run into the issue with him yet but I honestly don't know what I'd choose. 

All the same for me.

LuckyDad

Call me racist, but I think biracial children are possibly the cutest children of all.

Anyways, check other or don't fill it out at all. The only times I'd even bother to really care would be situations where the person reading the form might gain useful information based on skin color, such as an emergency contact form. But if it's just asking about general demographics, yeah, other or leave it blank.

Kitiara5512

Other. Although techically caucasian would work, since middle easterners are also considered caucasian.

Rink08

I'm biracial and have always checked "other" or "multiracial". I do the same for my kids.